SAINT BARTHOLOMEW. 18 Stuivers, ND (ca. 1819-21). VERY FINE.5.26 gms/81.17 grs. KM-13; cf.AAJ-6 (for earlier type). "o / 18 / [crown]" with in lozenge countermark applied to reverse of a Spanish 2 Reales (head Pistareen) of Charles IIII (IV) dated 1795 of indeterminate mint. Countermark deeply applied with clear definition of the details. Silversmith Nicholas Morin was authorized by decree issued 30 December 1808 to apply stamps indicating the new value in which all heavily worn coins were to circulate. The Spanish 2 Reales (Head Pistareen) and Spanish-American 2 Reales were to circulate at 18 Stuivers. Mr. Morin passed away in 1819 and it is theorized that the 18 Stuivers marking such as the present example is that of another local silversmith, perhaps an apprentice to Mr. Morin. The value rating dates this piece to the 1808 decree, but before the change in value by a January 1821 decree raising the value of a whole dollar (8 Reales) from 72 Stuivers to 84 Stuivers. <strong>EXTREMELY RARE</strong> with only a few examples known from this issuer including a Mexico 2 Reales, a Spanish Pistareen (the present example) and a Spanish-American Real. A similar example from the recent Dix, Nonnan & Webb auction September 25, 2018; Lot #5089 "the Bob Lyall collection of cut and countermarked coins" on a Spanish-American Peru 2 Reales 1762-JM realized £3,400 (plus buyers fee) which equates to just over $5,300 all in. An exciting piece, sure to see spirited bidding from the advanced collector of West Indies. Host coin nearly worn slick with faint portions of the obverse such as the kings name, ordinal and date clear. Countermark
